Jakarta – Denpasar, Bali and Sumedang, West Java, are among regions where its administrations have been criticized by the national rights body for their poor performance in resolving religious freedom violation cases.
"The Denpasar and Sumedang administrations have been uncooperative in resolving religious freedom violation cases," the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) religion and faith freedom desk coordinator Jayadi Damanik said in Jakarta on Thursday.
Komnas HAM is monitoring the settlement of several religious freedom violation cases nationwide. The cases include the rejection of intolerant groups toward the development of a Mushola Assyafiiyah in Denpasar, Bali, a prayer room, and the prohibition of the congregation of the Pentecostal Church in Indonesia (GPDI) in Sumedang, West Java, from worshipping.
"The GPDI case in Sumedang occurred in 2012 and has not yet been resolved due to difficulties in obtaining the church permit," said Jayadi. He further said that, earlier in June, the Sumedang administration had for umpteenth time rejected processing the permit.
Meanwhile, Komnas HAM has been handling the Denpasar case since February 2015. However, after a number of meetings attended by the Bali Religious Harmony Forum (FKUB), Bali-based Religious Affairs Ministry officials and Mushola Assyafiiyah management members, a settlement has yet to be reached. (vps/ebf)